Prison Talks
by Riikani
Summary: As part of a reintegration project, prisoners have mandatory talks with aurors. Draco Malfoy never expected he'd form an unlikely bond with his former enemy however.


_A Harry Potter fanfiction. I am actually trying to finish up some old unfinished stories I have laying around. I am not too productive right now though.  
>Ok, this is not a DracoxHarry ship alright? I think they could be great friends, so…yeah.<em>

_I don't own Harry Potter and all._

* * *

><p><span>Prison talks<span>

When Draco saw Harry Potter in the Wizengamot during his trial, he knew he was going to Azkaban. This thought did not inspire much fear in him: serving under the dark lord had been scarier than any prospect of long enlockment.

It could be a delayed sense of retribution.

Draco was only glad it had not been Potter's friend, the Weasley, in the Wizengamot, because he would never see broad daylight again. He tended to judge harsher and despite the bad blood between their families, Draco could not say he blamed him.

In his was, one brother was maimed and the other, oh yes, Draco knew about their loss, dead. Not to mention that the first was also kind of his fault as he gave the Death Eaters entrance to Hogwarts, and with it, Fenrir Greyback whether he liked it or not.

Draco was therefore rather surprised that during his statement, Harry Potter wasn't getting him punished more severely but instead told of his reluctance in killing Dumbledore and how Potter had learned of his talks with the ghost Myrtle.

It was embarrassing to have his insecurities laid open and he was rather glad the more important Death Eaters were trialed before his own.

But he never thought he would have another reason to be grateful to Potter, besides saving his life that is. His father, Lucius Malfoy, had gotten life for his crimes. Draco understood this, although not happy about it. He had crucio'd, he had imperiused and he had done unnecessary thing to muggles and mud…muggleborns, Draco corrected himself.

After seeing Granger tortured, knowing the dark-lord was a halfblood and he himself was barely more than a coward, he did not think he had any right to look down on people because of their blood.

Draco had been rather fearful that he'd receive the same judgement as his father, but Potter's statement did change things. But not all.

"Even though, there is record of Draco Malfoy using Unforgivables, the Imperius curse to be exact, and is guilty of deliberately endangering his schoolmates while attempting to murder Albus Dumbledore," Kingsley, as temporary minister, head of the Wizengamot, spoke and Draco cringed: it sounded much worse summed up like that. "he has shown signs of having troubles of carrying out a task many wizards would have done facing the same kind of immense pressure. Also taking in account his young age and the lesson learned made us decide on five years Azkaban."

And Draco subsided in his fate. He probably had deserved it, after all. As he was cuffed and brought away to the feared wizard prison, his only regret was that he did not know what became of his mother, who's be trialed after him.

Draco soon learned that a prison wasn't just being locked between four walls. He had heard of scream-filled halls during the dementor guarding days but the dead silence now in the complex would have the same effect.

The prisoners had no contact with each other and the aurors guarding did not speak. If anything, Draco found himself more and more retreating into his mind. He even lost track of days, years. In his mind, he became a prisoner and although he had no mirror, he probably looked the part as well.

It was only one day Draco was awoken from his mind by a voice calling his name. He didn't respond at first: hearing voices wasn't a good sign, a sign he was going insane truly. But the voice wasn't anything if not persistant.

"Draco Malfoy!"

That made Draco glance up through greasy long dirty blond hair. He remembered Black's picture and if that man had looked like that after twelve years, he must have been blessed with extraordinary looks for prison was no beauty treatment.

"Who's there?" he croaked, his voice hadn't been used in a very long time and felt scratchy.

"Auror from the ministry," was the reply. The voice sounded vaguely familiar as if from a dream, or a long forgotten past.

"Who?" he asked, his voice now more steady. Draco did not make any effort to stand up. Now there were no dementors, prisoners were considered high risk and at any incentive, hexes on the cell would set off and work him to the ground.

The man, for it was a male, chuckled. "I am surprised you would not recognize me at all," he said.

Then it clicked in Draco's mind: "Potter?" he asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?" He didn't quite mean to be so sniding for his life had been saved by this very same man, but there had been quite a lot of bad blood between them.

Outside his door, Draco heard a clutter and the door didn't open. It seems Potter wasn't entering. He probably had conjured a chair. "It is part of the reintegration project to send someone to asses the metal health and inhibitions of the prisoner. I am surprised you did not hear this from the other prisoners."

Draco muttered to himself for a moment: "Don't have any contact with them," he said.

"I see," Potter said. "Either case, that's why I am here, to do your assessment. You'll be released soon after this."

This, Draco had not realized, that it was that time already. "It does not matter," he said quietly. "It's not that I have anywhere to go." He said.

It stayed silent on Potter's side for a moment. "What are you talking about?" he finally said. "Your mother is preparing for you to come how already." Then he seemed to mull over something, as if an afterthought. "I do not intent to have your father released though."

"I don't expect anyone to, I know what he did," Draco interrupted. Potter silenced. "Do you have to write this all down?" he asked.

The male on the other side of the door hummed, "Only the outline. What you just said, could be written down as 'knows right from wrong'."

Draco was glad about this. He wasn't intending to lay open his heart's secrets to his old enemy, but he could have had worse people doing these apparently mandatory interviews. "What do you want to know, Potter?" he asked.

Potter shuffled a bit with his papers on the other side of the door: "What are your intentions for after when you get free?" he asked.

Draco scoffed, "You mean, whether I could go find other shady characters again?" he said. When Potter didn't reply, Draco took that as one of their worries. He sighed, "I have no intention of splitting what's left of my family, Potter, as small as it might be. I do want to visit Goyle's mother, though."

Potter hummed, "Why?" he asked.

Draco understood it; like the Malfoys, the Goyles had always been on the edge of what was right and wrong. "Don't misunderstand. I want to go apologize to his mum. He died in his Fiendyfire as well, as you know. But it was my mistake he was there in the first place. I have no other business with the Goyles," he said tersely. He imagined Potter scribbling down that piece of information.

"Well, that would be it for today," Potter spoke. That implicated there would be more of these sessions.

Then Draco frowned, "Why you?" he asked.

Potter made a swishing sound and Draco imagined him vanishing the chair. "I am an auror," he said as explanation.

Draco almost hissed, "No, I mean, why _you?_ Why of all available aurors, even the recrutes, did they choose you to evaluate me of all people?" he asked, more urgently.

Potter paused on the other side. "I volunteered," he spoke shortly. Drao didn't even have time to ask why, for Potter intuitively sensed the question. "Don't you think it's time to lay those differences to rest? As much as you as for me, this is closure."

And with a swish of his robes, which sounded ironically a lot like late professor Snape's, Harry Potter left.

()()()()()()

It must have have been a few days later, Draco thought, when he heard a chair hitting the ground once again. "Draco?" came the voice of one Harry Potter.

"Back again?" Draco murmured. He had a lot of mind about last time. Despite everything that had happened between them, Potter had been patient and civil enough.

"I think I am," Potter said on the other side of the door.

"Funny guy," Draco muttered, but somehow the light air made him feel alive more than he had been the last few years. "What do you have for me today, Potter?" he asked.

He heard Potter fumble with his papers and found it refreshing to know that he was just as chaotic as he had been in school. It was Granger who had organized stuff. Potter had always made notes on whatever parchment he could find, and Weasley did not note at all. They had been enemies so he had been watching the three, but he was still surprised he remembered such small facts.

"Ah!" Potter said, "Here it is." Still the same. "I must ask you what your plans are to contribute to the wizarding community?" he sounded slightly incredulous about the question and Draco snorted.

"You mean what kind of job I want to do?" he asked.

Potter chuckled, "Yeah, but your father didn't…" he said but Draco interrupted.

"No, he didn't work. He threw around the Malfoy's money," he said bitterly. It had been a few years that Draco came aware of this fact. "I don't want to be like him; look where it put him. Besides, there isn't all that much of the money. My ancestors would turn in their graves if they knew how my father had brassed."

Potter hummed, "I see, sorry I asked. Then, what are your plans for a job?"

Draco had wondered about that too. He really didn't want anything to do with the ministery or the law. He didn't hate them, but he didn't want to prove himself over and over. "Perhaps working for Gringotts?" he tried.

He heard Potter scribbling it down, "Good choice," he said. "Kobolds don't judge easily."

Draco huffed, : I am not sure I can. I didn't finish 7th year exactly. I don't have the qualifications."

Potter chuckled, "I didn't even start 7th year. And that year was considered a fluke. McGonnagal said that every student, if they wanted to, is free to retake it."

"I am not going back to Hogwarts. I am done with that part of my life," Draco threw in. He heard Potter scribbling it down.

"Understandable. You don't need to worry really. You'd have to take a few tests to see if you're up for the job. The kobolds will want to grill you. I'd be worried the most about that. Kobolds are fair but relentless."

Draco quieted, "Do I even stand a chance? My past is not exactly trustworthy."

Potter didn't answer exactly. "I will talk to Griphook for you."

This surprised Draco. "You broke into Gringotts and they still talk to you?" he asked unbelievingly.

Potter chuckled, "That's why I said, kobolds don't judge easily. I talked it out with them. Griphook did what he had to and we did what we had to do. The damages are paid for and Charlie wasn't happy about the dragon so they let that rest. There's no lasting feelings."

Draco was still skeptical; he was pretty sure that breaking into a facility like Gringotts wasn't that easy to forgive. "And you'd go talk to them for me?! I made your life living hell in school!" he said.

Potter stayed silent for a bit. "I wouldn't say a hell exactly," he finally replied. "I don't need to carry a grudge. People do that enough for me. And everyone deserves a new chance. You never could become who you want to be without one. And I can help with that, so…" he trailed off.

Draco stared at a smoothed path on his cell wall, wondering how it got that smooth and then deciding not wanting to know. "Of course," he said, "You were willing to give the dark lord a chance."

The chosen one stayed silent once more and Draco was almost sure he'd offended his old classmate. "Yeah," Potter finally said, his voice bitter, "I did. And I still killed him."

Draco was surprised for a moment: he'd have expected that the hero of the wizarding world would be glad he'd gone rid of his lifelong bane. And as an auror, killing like that should be one of the skills. "Regrets, Potter?" he asked.

Harry Potter rummaged through his papers, "Never justify killing, Draco," he said, his voice hard. "I did it because I had to, but that doesn't make it right to do so." With that taps on the ground signified Potter left his cell door once more. Draco's eyes returned to the smoothed wall, suddenly aware why Harry Potter was a hero and he in jail: if it had been him, Draco'd killed Voldemort without a second thought.

()()()()()()()

The next time Potter came, it was Draco who spoke first. Ever since his old enemy had started visiting, Draco had felt more and more aware of the world surrounding him and though it wasn't preferable to hear his fellow inmates, he heard Potter before the man spoke.

Back in school, Harry Potter had always had an impatient walk as if the world was being too slow on the uptake on what was really important. Now it seemed that Potter was much more at ease with his surroundings and himself because his steps sounded less hurried.

Not that they weren't quick strides, but it sounded as if he walked quick simply for the feeling of walking fast other than that he had somewhere to be.

"How's Weasley?" Draco asked.

Potter stayed silent for a moment: "Which one?" he asked, amused.

Draco almost smiled; apparently Potter was not unaware of the rabbit-like tendencies of his favorite family. The blond was somehow glad to hear that Potter hadn't lost his sarcastic edge. It was admittedly one of his more interesting sides.

Not that Draco could blame him, he was well aware Harry Potter came from a muggle Hellhole and his sharpness was more of a defense than that he was aware of it. People'd be surprised to learn Potter neither was as arrogant as they believed, or gentle because of him having been cuddled. Hell, Draco's father would be shocked!

"Unless you are more like Dumbledore than both of us thought, I mean the girl!" Draco returned.

Potter snickered, "Ginny's doing ok. She got a position as a regular chaser with the Hollyhead Harpies next season," he told the prisoner.

Draco was reminded of Hermione Granger sneering at him in second year that none of the Gryffindor players bought their position and played because of their talent and considering Wood had become a regular at Pullover United and he wasn't quite sure about Johnson and now the female Weasley, he realized he must have been wrong. He knew that none of the Slytherin players would have been good enough to go pro.

Potter clearly was proud of her, telling it so readily.

"What about you, Draco? Planning on a family?" the wizard asked.

Draco almost spluttered, "Potter! I am in jail! I should be glad if I don't get my arse hexed off by any female I meet!" He was rather disgruntled that Potter asked it like that.

Harry Potter hummed, non-committically, "I don't know, Draco, just like there are people having a preference for hero's…"

"Like Ginny?" Draco asked with a grin and softly sang: "_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad"_. He still considered it as one as the most priceless memories he had.

Potter let out a laugh, "I can't believe you still remember that! Please don't ever repeat that near her unless you want to get reacquainted with her Bat Bogey-hex." Draco doubted they'd ever be close enough for him having to repeat the ridiculous valentine. "She hasn't had that mindset for a long time," Potter continued.

Obvious, or Potter would not be attracted to her. He must be one of the most understating guys Draco knew of. "Anyhow, I wanted to say, that some woman might go for the bad guy type," the man said.

Draco considered getting angry for that assumption: what kind of dreamworld did the wizard live in? But he couldn't quite find it in him. "Of course, Potter," he muttered instead. A little rustle behind the door told Draco, Potter had grabbed his papers again. It ticked Draco off that it was still Potter's duty to note down their conversation, even in the broadest terms.

It was easy to just think of it as chatting, even with a big metal door between them, now that Draco was not blinded by pride and Potter not that consumed by being good.

"Do you want a family?" Potter asked.

Draco thought this over for a moment. "I suppose I do. But I am tired of the haughty type of girls, so typical of purebred women. Like anyone else'd marry me." Draco could just imagine Potter noting down '_wants a family, not like his own_'. Perhaps that was only in his mind, because that was blunt, even for Potter.

Then he had a thought: "Potter, do I get my wand back?" He knew Potter had been using it, but he still was kind of attached to the want after using it for so long.

Potter stayed quiet. Then: "If it still works for you, then yes. You will get that one back: I have no intention of keeping it after all. My own works just fine for me."

"Even if it has been tied to You know who's?"

Potter hummed, "Call him Voldemort, Draco, or Tom. That we all know who we're talking about, does not mean you should avoid his name." How had this man managed to avoid getting caught by not saying the name accidently, Draco would never know. "But I am surprised you know this. It was not commonly known we were linked."

Draco scoffed, "Are you forgetting my family, Potter? Even fallen out of grace we were still in his most inner circle. That, and everyone could see the effects of your wands clashing."

The way it stayed silent proved that Potter still wasn't one of the cleverest tools in the shed; or at least the quickest. Draco doubted the man needed to be clever, it was all instinct which was both admirable as enviable.

"You know," Potter said, "even if we were linked by the cores of our wands, our wands were still different. My wand is still my wand, knowing what its brother did, does not change that." That gave Draco some thought to mull over and didn't reply. Potter apparently had enough and made his leave.

()()()()()

Draco had been tracing a line on his cell walls when a loud rattle pulled his attention to the door. Prisoners were fed by pushing food through a hatch and as this was done by silent aurors, Draco was properly confused when the door opened completely.

He stared through a curtain of dirty blond hair at the set of people appearing in the dooway. The dark hair and round glasses should have been a dead give away, but Draco only fully recognized the man, when he spoke.

"Well, Draco, are you coming?" he asked.

Draco stared up at Harry Potter smiling amiably, fully at peace with himself and the world apparently. The inmate ignored the redhead muttering next to Potter: _"I still can't believe you actually manage to be friendly with this guy,"_ and focussed on Potter.

"What?" he asked.

Harry Potter smiled bigger: "Your time's done, Draco, it's time for you to leave this place."

And Draco nodded, somehow not doubting what his old enemy said. "Is there anything I need to do?" he asked instead when he joined the two aurors (for he didn't doubt Weasley was as far as Potter, as he was talented in his own right).

Potter nodded, "You still need to check in regularly with the aurors office and you should expect aurors checking up on you unannounced," Potter explained and then actually handed back Draco's wand. "There are some spells locked on your wand, obviously," he said when Draco looked confused. "But it's yours to have."

Well, Draco was grateful for that an the wand felt as it used to. So he aimed at his head and cleaned his hair by cutting it and removing grease. Potter seemed amused and barked a short laugh. "Yes, Taking a shower would indeed be my second suggestion, but the first is: live! Your life is yours again."

He took the lead in guiding them towards the end of the complex and Draco relished in the weak sun on his face when they stepped outside. Potter threw a look over his shoulder. "and you should stop by for tea some time."

As the two wizards held a hand out to help him disapparate back home, Draco actually thought he might take Potter up on that offer once he had settled in for a bit. Who knows, he might even chance a Bat Bogey-hex if he could sing _His eyes are as green as a freshpickled toad _to Potter's girlfriend again.

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><p><em>And that's it. Don't forget to leave a review!<em>

_I HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE UPLOADING: I had to upload as a text then replace it with what I wrote in word! All because of a damned processing error! FANFICTION, YOU'D BETTER SOLVE THIS OR I'LL SWEAR I'll BE HAUNTING YOUR ASSES!_


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